BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Beer can]

I didn't plan on keeping the whites for breeding but now that I found out someone local is growing out cornishX hopefully to egg laying age and said I could get a couple if it works out, I'm going to keep them for crossing, see what happens. Keeping a red/black cockerel,my biggest one, and all the pullets.
All other NN cockerels, white giant cockerels and giant/silkie cross cockerels will be undergoing the 'procedure' this weekend, got poco pollo capon tools in the mail last week :-D should be around 15 all together.

 

[ejcrist]

the summers are very long and hot here- normal to have 110-120F days during July-Sept.

early on tried to have all sorts of different breeds. So many of the dual purpose breeds had problems, especially the roosters, meat bred lines were clearly the worst affected. It was quite the work and effort to keep them alive from June-July-Sept, once the nights started to stay above 65 degrees. It was frustrating and off-putting to invest several weeks of keeping them cool only to have them expire while I was away from home for a birthday or family event, a weekend or a vacation...

The NN always looked better and needed much less care than anything else, even if they were big heavy birds. Sticking with NN.. much less headache.

Thanks for the info. That's great first-hand info to hear about from someone in another extremely hot climate. Desert Chic has been saying the same thing for a while so I think it's high time I get a few. Gosh by the sound of it they're like the perfect bird to raise in the SW with their heat tolerance and broiler qualities. You'd think the hatcheries would highlight these qualities.

 

[Kev]

Thanks for the info. That's great first-hand info to hear about from someone in another extremely hot climate. Desert Chic has been saying the same thing for a while so I think it's high time I get a few. Gosh by the sound of it they're like the perfect bird to raise in the SW with their heat tolerance and broiler qualities. You'd think the hatcheries would highlight these qualities

It's the neck. People just can't get past that.. either think they can;t get past the look, ever- be foreever cringing or covering their eyes or makes them regard them as strictly ornamental or requiring special care(some think they need sunscreen or.....) etc.

It's a pretty common to hear from people who did not intend to get some but were surprised with some in a chick mix, or got one/2 out of curiousity and they end up being one of their favorites or being surprised by how well they do. I'm one of the latter- got one NN pullet as part of chick order and she ended up being my favorite and got me hooked on the breed.

Having had them for so long they look normal. even beautiful to me. Many others say the same thing.

Now.. they are not mystical creatures.. they are as vulnerable to hatchery practices as any other breed. My very first NN grew into a huge heavy bird(that was about 25 yrs ago) but the chicks I picked up from the feed store last fall grew out into pretty small looking birds to me. Either my first bird was an exception or the general stock has drifted into a different type since then.

There is a hatchery that breeds broiler NN- S&G Poultry, I don't have any of their stock, really would love to try out but cannot handle their 100 chick minimum.

http://www.sandgpoultry.com/

I do wonder if any of the French NN broiler strains or the one white NN breed(cou nu de Forez) have been imported.. very poular as free range meat birds over there. I doubt any will be by private importers, including a certain very well known one again probably due to the fact they;re naked necked.

 

[ejcrist]

It's the neck. People just can't get past that.. either think they can;t get past the look, ever- be foreever cringing or covering their eyes or makes them regard them as strictly ornamental or requiring special care(some think they need sunscreen or.....) etc.

It's a pretty common to hear from people who did not intend to get some but were surprised with some in a chick mix, or got one/2 out of curiousity and they end up being one of their favorites or being surprised by how well they do. I'm one of the latter- got one NN pullet as part of chick order and she ended up being my favorite and got me hooked on the breed.

Having had them for so long they look normal. even beautiful to me. Many others say the same thing.

Now.. they are not mystical creatures.. they are as vulnerable to hatchery practices as any other breed. My very first NN grew into a huge heavy bird(that was about 25 yrs ago) but the chicks I picked up from the feed store last fall grew out into pretty small looking birds to me. Either my first bird was an exception or the general stock has drifted into a different type since then.

There is a hatchery that breeds broiler NN- S&G Poultry, I don't have any of their stock, really would love to try out but cannot handle their 100 chick minimum.

http://www.sandgpoultry.com/

I do wonder if any of the French NN broiler strains or the one white NN breed(cou nu de Forez) have been imported.. very poular as free range meat birds over there. I doubt any will be by private importers, including a certain very well known one again probably due to the fact they;re naked necked.

Thanks for that link to S&G. You're right on target with why people don't consider them; that pretty much spelled it out in my case anyway. I do think they are the ugliest bird I ever saw, or maybe the second ugliest after a turkey vulture. But if they have the qualities I'm looking for I can overlook that. Tasty chicken trumps looks any day of the week in my household. That goes for catfish, and especially at the top of the list steamed blue crabs too - can't get enough of them - they're beautiful in my book. I grew up in Baltimore where crabs are also known as "Baltimore crack." So I can get past the looks no problem. It's all about utility.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
I just can't get past the naked neck...for me it is just so..unchickeny.
I reminds me of a Dr. Suess bird like in Horton hatches the egg.Not Horton but the other birds in the story.
Smile.
Karen

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I didn't plan on keeping the whites for breeding but now that I found out someone local is growing out cornishX hopefully to egg laying age and said I could get a couple if it works out, I'm going to keep them for crossing, see what happens. Keeping a red/black cockerel,my biggest one, and all the pullets.
All other NN cockerels, white giant cockerels and giant/silkie cross cockerels will be undergoing the 'procedure' this weekend, got poco pollo capon tools in the mail last week :-D should be around 15 all together.

I LOVE these!!!!

WANT!!!!

- Ant Farm

 

[ejcrist]

Just curious but has anyone one here raised and/or ate a Dorking? They're rare from what I gather but everything I ever read about them stated they were the best table bird for eons. Supposedly even one of the Queens of England kept her own personal flock for that very purpose. I'm sure she wasn't the one going out and cleaning the coop every week but I thought that interesting. Murray Mcmurray lists them but they don't have any available anytime in the future per their website. Heck I'd like to raise a couple just to raise as broilers if there were any around to get. As rare as they apparently are I'm guessing you'd want to raise a good many before you started eating the culls.

 

[Beer can]

Hi,
I just can't get past the naked neck...for me it is just so..unchickeny.
I reminds me of a Dr. Suess bird like in Horton hatches the egg.Not Horton but the other birds in the story.
Smile.
Karen

Lol! I never wanted them, thought they were super ugly, think they are the coolest ever now. I don't know anyone around here that has had them.
I read it here I think maybe not (ostriches), stole it and used it, can't remember who said it, super funny.
My brother-in-law stopped to have me change over some tires (don't ever let anyone know if you bought a tire changer, mine's a hand operated one from TSC, but works great, they come out of the woodwork to have you change tires for free

.....)

I had moved my chicks from the house, hatched jersey giants and giant silkie crosses and 15 naked necks I bought about same age to a 4x8' brooder box in the garage.
BIL asks, 'what the heck are they?' I told him baby ostriches. Fast forward awhile later he says, 'what are you going to do with them, they get huge' dude they're chickens, he laughs....
While later he asks 'how you going to fence them in?' (there used to be a ostrich farm over the hill so I'm sure he's seen how big they get...) I laughed, they are naked neck chickens Lol!
He says, 'are you F'ng with me' no man they are naked neck chickens.... He just continued to stare at them.
When he left finally, I still don't think he believed me Lol!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Just curious but has anyone one here raised and/or ate a Dorking? They're rare from what I gather but everything I ever read about them stated they were the best table bird for eons. Supposedly even one of the Queens of England kept her own personal flock for that very purpose. I'm sure she wasn't the one going out and cleaning the coop every week but I thought that interesting. Murray Mcmurray lists them but they don't have any available anytime in the future per their website. Heck I'd like to raise a couple just to raise as broilers if there were any around to get. As rare as they apparently are I'm guessing you'd want to raise a good many before you started eating the culls.

Naked Necks actually do very well in taste tests (also, the way their skin is different, when you roast them, it's like they've been deep fried). I decided to raise them for the taste, because the chicken farmer I got my eating chickens from raised them. I've also found that New Hampshires are tasty (I think they also rate well on those lists).

Although I can understand a taste difference based on something structural (e.g., different skin), I wonder how much difference there really is in different breeds, vs. just they way they are raised, or how well they do in their environment. I just put away some very nice Marans and New Hampshire birds in the freezer - I guess I'll have myself a taste test!

- Ant Farm

 

[Beer can]

Thanks for that link to S&G. You're right on target with why people don't consider them; that pretty much spelled it out in my case anyway. I do think they are the ugliest bird I ever saw, or maybe the second ugliest after a turkey vulture. But if they have the qualities I'm looking for I can overlook that. Tasty chicken trumps looks any day of the week in my household. That goes for catfish, and especially at the top of the list steamed blue crabs too - can't get enough of them - they're beautiful in my book. I grew up in Baltimore where crabs are also known as "Baltimore crack." So I can get past the looks no problem. It's all about utility.

I've posted this a couple times here but I'm sure you didn't hear it. I'll try a condensed version. Green Fire Farms states; "The Barbezieux is notable for two reasons: it is the tallest native chicken breed in Europe, and it is one of the best- tasting meat chickens in the world. As to the former, the Barbezieux will likely tower over any other chicken breed you have on your property, and as to the latter the Barbezieux is revered by some gastronomes as superior to the revered Bresse when the birds are roasted. (Traditionally, Bresse are poached when they are prepared for the table.) The skin roasts to a golden color with the smell of wheat, and the meat has a distinct flavor reminiscent of wild game.
and recently Barbezieux were ranked third in a competition of 20 meat breeds by the French food guide, Gault Millau."
They and the Bresse are super $$$$
I decided to check out that competition by Gault Millau, why buy the third best, whats #1???., took hours upon hours, days, they have websites in every language in every country....found nothing....finally late one night I found it, French version with google translate, figured it'd be some weird name bird we can't get here....nope...it was the naked neck. dang, we have them here! The #1 was the red variety, redbro con nu or something. I've been looking for that article for awhile now again, can't find it...so wish I wrote down the whole list, don't even remember what was #2 Google sucks butt sometimes, especially if your looking up certain political stuff.